Here followeth the life of S. Aldhelm.

S. Aldhelm the confessor was born in England. His father
highs Kenton; he was brother unto Ina, king of this land, and when king Ina was
dead, Kenton was made king after him, and then this holy child Aldhelm was set
to school in the house of Malmesbury, where afterward he was made abbot. And
then he did there great cost in building and did do make there a full royal
abbey. And when the pope heard of his great holiness, he sent for him to come
to Rome, and when he was there the pope welcomed him and was much glad of his
good living, and there he abode long time with the pope, and gat full great
privileges and liberties to the house of Malmesbury, in such wise that no
bishop in England should visit ne have to do there, ne the king to let them of
their free election, but chose their abbot among the convent themselves. And
when he had gotten all this of the pope he was full glad and joyful, and lived
there holily a long time. And on a day he said mass in the church of S. John
Lateran, and when mass was done, there was no man that would take his chasuble
from him at the end of the mass, and then he saw the sunbeam shine through the
glass window, and hung his chasuble thereon, whereof all the people marvelled
greatly of that miracle, and the same chasuble is yet at Malmesbury, the colour
thereof is purple. And within short time after, he came again into England, and
brought with him many privileges under the pope's seal, which after, king Ina
confirmed all that the pope had granted to the house of Malmesbury. This was
about the year of our Lord seven hundred and six. And that time there fell a
great variance among the bishops of this land for the holding of Easter day,
but S. Aldhelm made a book that all men should know for ever when Easter day
should fall, the which book is yet at Malmesbury. And that abbey he did do make
in the worship of our blessed Lady. And Brightwold that was archbishop of
Canterbury heard of Aldhelm's holy living, and he sent for him to be his
chancellor, and they lived together full holily long time, and each was full
glad and joyful of the other.

And on a day as they stood at the seaside by Dover Castle,
they saw a ship laden with merchandise not far from them, and S. Aldhelm called
to them to wit if they had any ornaments longing to holy church within their
ship to sell. But the merchants had disdain of him, and thought he was not of
power to buy such things as they had to sell, and departed from the holy man.
But anon fell on them so great a tempest that they were in peril for to perish,
and then one of them said: We suffer this trouble because we had disdain of the
words of yonder holy man, and therefore let us all meekly desire him to pray
for us to our Lord Jesu Christ. They did so, and anon the tempest ceased, and
then they came to this holy man and brought to him a full fair Bible, the which
is yet at Malmesbury unto this day. And four years before his death he was made
bishop of Dorset by the archbishop of Canterbury and by other bishops, but
within short time after he died, and lieth buried at Malmesbury thereas he was
abbot. And after that S. Egewin came to offer at his tomb, fettered with chains
of iron fast locked, and from thence he went so to Rome to the pope, alway
wearing those fetters which was to him great pain, God reward him his meed. And
S. Aldhelm, ere he died, cursed all them that did any wrong in breaking of the
privileges of the said abbey of Malmesbury, and them that help the house to
maintain God's service shall have God's blessing and his. And when he had lain
long in the earth he was translated, and laid in a full rich shrine, whereas
our Lord showeth daily for his holy servant many fair miracles. Then let us
pray S. Aldhelm to pray for us unto our Lord God, that we may in this wretched
vale of this world so bewail our sins and amend our living that we may come to
everlasting life in heaven. Amen.